Portable devices are convenient to utilize their functions for users. But how to properly hold the portable devices while operating them, and avoiding accidentally dropping them, improving operating efficiency, and reducing operation injury and fatigue have become important subjects. Since post-PC era is coming and the tablet computers are getting popular, the subjects are more important than before.
FIGS. 1A and 1B show two traditional ways of holding a tablet computer. The way in FIG. 1A is not a lasting grasp because of the weight of the device and the torque it produced. The way in FIG. 1B is not comfortable and ergonomic because the outer frame is not designed for matching various holding angles, thus a user has to provide additional force to hold the device firmly.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,726,070 discloses an ergonomic input-device holder. A gun-shaped handle is attached to the bottom side of the holder for a user to grip for reducing the stress imposed on the wrist. Even though the handle can be folded, such a design is still not considered compact and lightweight as a whole.
For overcoming the problem of holding a tablet computer, many products use a belt to fasten the device on a hand of a user. A problem is the necessity of ensuring whether the belt is securely fixed while using. If the belt is replaced by an elastic belt, then the problem will be the reduction of elasticity of the elastic belt. The major problem is that the additional structure may affect usability of other functions and looks bulky. Moreover, its sense of designation is usually not coherent with the sense of technological electronic products.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,016,248 and 6,301,101 disclose an external structure for facilitating positioning and operation. In an aspect the external structure supports the device standing at different tilt angles, while in another aspect the external structure can be used as a hand strap for attachment to reduce the stress imposed on hand. Though the external structure is foldable and occupies no space, it cannot function as a cover, and provide only one grippable position that cannot support the device in both portrait and landscape orientations.
Smart Cover of the Apple Inc. is a cover for covering and protecting a device. It is a compact and lightweight design that can fit into daily life and nearly without affecting the usability of other functions. It can be positioned to form a triangular prism shaped space to serve as a standing support for using the tablet computer at different angles. However it does not have a handle structure for facilitating a user to hold the device firmly.
Accordingly, it's necessary to provide an improved handle structure which is capable of facilitating a user to hold the device firmly, and is a compact and lightweight design and nearly without affecting the usability of other functions.